Tamdan McCrory added to nearly full UFC 96 card

http://mmajunkie.comRumored for the past few days, a UFC 96 bout between UFC newcomer Ryan Madigan (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Tamdan McCrory (10-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has now been signed.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) was told contracts were signed for the matchup by both fighters on Thursday night.

UFC 96 takes place March 7 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and features a main event between Quinton Jackson and Keith Jardine.

The bout has taken a strange and winding road to fruition, as the matchup has its roots in a potential Dustin Hazelett vs. Ben Saunders clash. Hazelett was forced to bow out in late January due to an undisclosed injury, and Madigan stepped up after signing a four-fight deal with the organization.

With Saunders now withdrawing due to a foot injury, “The Barn Cat” has now agreed to face Madigan.

McCrory opened his professional career in 2006 with nine-straight wins, including a submission win over Pete Spratt in his UFC debut. The 22-year-old is just 1-2 in his past three bouts, with a win over Luke Cummo and losses to Dustin Hazelett and Akihiro Gono.

Madigan, based out of Cuyahoga Falls (near Akron), Ohio, is a former kickboxer who previously competed in the World Combat League. His transition into MMA has been a smooth one; Madigan is now 5-0 with five stoppages since turning pro in 2006.

The full rumored card for “UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine” now includes:

Quinton Jackson vs. Keith Jardine

Shane Carwin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

Matt Hamill vs. Mark Munoz

Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller

Mike Patt vs. Brandon Vera

Ryan Madigan vs. Tamdan McCrory

Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz

Jason Day vs. Kendall Grove

Matt Brown vs. Pete Sell

Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley

For the latest on UFC 96, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.